Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, 'I have no pleasure in them.'
| וּזְכֹר֙ אֶת־בֹּ֣ורְאֶ֔יךָ בִּימֵ֖י בְּחוּרֹתֶ֑יךָ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ יְמֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ה וְהִגִּ֣יעוּ שָׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמַ֔ר אֵֽין־לִ֥י בָהֶ֖ם חֵֽפֶץ׃ |
2 While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.
| עַ֠ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וְהָאֹ֔ור וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ וְהַכֹּוכָבִ֑ים וְשָׁ֥בוּ הֶעָבִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃ |
3 In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
| בַּיֹּ֗ום שֶׁיָּזֻ֙עוּ֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַבַּ֔יִת וְהִֽתְעַוְּת֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל וּבָטְל֤וּ הַטֹּֽחֲנֹות֙ כִּ֣י מִעֵ֔טוּ וְחָשְׁכ֥וּ הָרֹאֹ֖ות בָּאֲרֻבֹּֽות׃ |
4 And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
| וְסֻגְּר֤וּ דְלָתַ֙יִם֙ בַּשּׁ֔וּק בִּשְׁפַ֖ל קֹ֣ול הַֽטַּחֲנָ֑ה וְיָקוּם֙ לְקֹ֣ול הַצִּפֹּ֔ור וְיִשַּׁ֖חוּ כָּל־בְּנֹ֥ות הַשִּֽׁיר׃ |
5 Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
| גַּ֣ם מִגָּבֹ֤הַּ יִרָ֙אוּ֙ וְחַתְחַתִּ֣ים בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְיָנֵ֤אץ הַשָּׁקֵד֙ וְיִסְתַּבֵּ֣ל הֶֽחָגָ֔ב וְתָפֵ֖ר הָֽאֲבִיֹּונָ֑ה כִּֽי־הֹלֵ֤ךְ הָאָדָם֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית עֹולָמֹ֔ו וְסָבְב֥וּ בַשּׁ֖וּק הַסֹּפְדִֽים׃ |
6 While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
| עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִרחַק (יֵרָתֵק֙) חֶ֣בֶל הַכֶּ֔סֶף וְתָרֻ֖ץ גֻּלַּ֣ת הַזָּהָ֑ב וְתִשָּׁ֤בֶר כַּד֙ עַל־הַמַּבּ֔וּעַ וְנָרֹ֥ץ הַגַּלְגַּ֖ל אֶל־הַבֹּֽור׃ |
7 And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
| וְיָשֹׁ֧ב הֶעָפָ֛ר עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָ֑ה וְהָר֣וּחַ תָּשׁ֔וּב אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נְתָנָֽהּ׃ |
8 Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
| הֲבֵ֧ל הֲבָלִ֛ים אָמַ֥ר הַקֹּוהֶ֖לֶת הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃ |
9 And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
| וְיֹתֵ֕ר שֶׁהָיָ֥ה קֹהֶ֖לֶת חָכָ֑ם עֹ֗וד לִמַּד־דַּ֙עַת֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאִזֵּ֣ן וְחִקֵּ֔ר תִּקֵּ֖ן מְשָׁלִ֥ים הַרְבֵּֽה׃ |
10 The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, words of truth.
| בִּקֵּ֣שׁ קֹהֶ֔לֶת לִמְצֹ֖א דִּבְרֵי־חֵ֑פֶץ וְכָת֥וּב יֹ֖שֶׁר דִּבְרֵ֥י אֱמֶֽת׃ |
11 Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.
| דִּבְרֵ֤י חֲכָמִים֙ כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנֹ֔ות וּֽכְמַשְׂמְרֹ֥ות נְטוּעִ֖ים בַּעֲלֵ֣י אֲסֻפֹּ֑ות נִתְּנ֖וּ מֵרֹעֶ֥ה אֶחָֽד׃ |
12 And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
| וְיֹתֵ֥ר מֵהֵ֖מָּה בְּנִ֣י הִזָּהֵ֑ר עֲשֹׂ֨ות סְפָרִ֤ים הַרְבֵּה֙ אֵ֣ין קֵ֔ץ וְלַ֥הַג הַרְבֵּ֖ה יְגִעַ֥ת בָּשָֽׂר׃ |
13 The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
| סֹ֥וף דָּבָ֖ר הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁמָ֑ע אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים יְרָא֙ וְאֶת־מִצְוֹתָ֣יו שְׁמֹ֔ור כִּי־זֶ֖ה כָּל־הָאָדָֽם׃ |
14 For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
| כִּ֤י אֶת־כָּל־מַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים יָבִ֥א בְמִשְׁפָּ֖ט עַ֣ל כָּל־נֶעְלָ֑ם אִם־טֹ֖וב וְאִם־רָֽע׃ |
